Cebu Airport Ready to Resume Operations with Enhanced Protocols
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is ready to resume operations as safety measures for passengers and returning overseas Filipino workers and seafarers are in place at Terminals 1 and 2. Andrew Harrison, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) chief executive advisor, on Monday said the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) and the private management have […].....»»
UPS expands Clark operations
Logistics giant UPS is expanding operations at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga as part of its $250-million commitment to scale up its Asia-Pacific business......»»
Gealon: Probe companies with colorum vehicles
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A citywide crackdown is being implemented against colorum vehicles or illegally operating public utility vehicles (PUVs). This after Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon’s proposed a resolution was approved during the council’s regular session on March 20, requesting the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to conduct operations against colorum trucks operating in the.....»»
Cebu airport bars 187 foreigners
Cebu airport bars 187 foreigners.....»»
BI bars entry of three American sex offenders at NAIA and Cebu airports
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that three sex offenders were turned away by BI officers in the international airports of Manila and Cebu. Excluded last January 10 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 was American national Rolando Camama, 73, who arrived on board a China Airlines flight from Taipei. […].....»»
IN PHOTOS: Balik Cebu 2024
Summary: The Balik Cebu 2024 event, hosted at the Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, has been a prominent part of the Sinulog festival for 22 years. In collaboration with the Cebu City Government, Mactan International Airport Association, and other tourism stakeholders, it aims to welcome back balikbayans (returning Filipinos) for the grand Sinulog festival. The Balik Cebu Dinner Show offers balikbayans the complete Sinulog experience, featuring Filipino cuisine, performances by Cebuano artists, the Sinulog Mardi Gras, the presentation of Miss Cebu winners and her court, Tribu Basakanaon, and a band performance. Tickets priced at P500 can be purchased at the Balik Cebu Turista Desk by presenting a passport or proof of residence outside the Philippines. Balikbayans can also buy up to three additional tickets for non-balikbayans accompanying them. The event will take place at Ayala Center Cebu on January 18 at 6 PM. (SPONSORED CONTENT).....»»
Flights to Butuan canceled over runway lighting
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights to and from Manila and Cebu to Butuan were canceled yesterday due to a runway lighting problem at the Butuan Bancasi Airport......»»
FACT CHECK: No promo sale of premium luggage at Mactan-Cebu airport
The Facebook post advertising the supposed sale of Rimowa suitcases for P110 is a scam, according to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority.....»»
Metro Pacific plans to extend Cebu-Cordova expressway
The Metro Pacific Group plans to extend the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway at both ends of the bridge to provide direct access to Cebu City and the airport......»»
Cebu Pacific promises friendlier skies
Inside a war room of sorts within Cebu Pacific’s sprawling Airline Operations Center in Pasay near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, agents, perhaps with bated breath, are glued to giant monitors that show the airline’s social media accounts......»»
BI thwarts two new attempts of sex offenders to enter PH
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco announced that its airport personnel barred from entering the country on Friday two Americans previously convicted of sexually molesting minors in the US. Tansingco identified the two passengers as Mark David Scanlon and Richard Stuart Patterson, who arrived via separate flights at the international airports in Cebu and […].....»»
Bohol : Plans to convert old Tagbilaran airport into an IT Park pushed
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Bohol Provincial Government is pursuing its plan to convert the old airport in Tagbilaran City into an IT Park that will especially accommodate BPO locators. In a social media post on Thursday, November 30, Governor Erico Aris Aumentado said in an advisory that he met with officials of the Civil.....»»
BI bars entry of two foreign sex offenders in Cebu
TWO convicted American pedophiles who tried to enter the country via the international airport in Cebu over the weekend were barred entry by the Bureau of Immigration (BI). BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Neil Eugene Graves, 47, was intercepted last Nov. 18 while 60-year old Stuart Chase Dingman was stopped the following day at the […].....»»
BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday advised all foreign travelers who are leaving the country during the upcoming Undas holiday break to comply with their immigration departure requirements early to avoid unnecessary queuing at the airport on the date of their departure. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reminded registered foreigners who are studying, working, or living permanently in the Philippines that they can obtain their special return certificate (SRC) or re-entry permit (RP) prior to departure at any of the various BI's district, field, satellite, or extension offices nationwide. While foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months may also secure their emigration clearance certificates (ECC) before departure, Tansingco said securing the required permits early will decrease queueing time by half, as they will not have to line up at the BI’s airport cashiers anymore. The BI chief added that with the complete elimination of all COVID-related travel restrictions, the bureau is anticipating a spike in passengers at all international airports in the country, especially at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), this upcoming December, and this time they are also experiencing a big increase in the volume of New Year's Day travelers. During this peak season, the bureau reminded all travelers that other immigration services are also available online via the BI’s e-services portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph. Tansingco shared that the bureau also has a one-stop shop (OSS) facility located at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City, where departing aliens may also secure the said documents. He also reiterated previous reminders for passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to their flight and go straight to immigration after check-in. The BI is confident that its operations will be smoother this holiday season as it has deployed additional immigration officers and assigned a rapid response team as well as mobile counters for immediate deployment as necessary. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 24 October, BI agents detained a South Korean wanted person who was allegedly part of a major narcotics ring that smuggled contraband into Korea from the Philippines. Commissioner Tansingco identified the suspect as Choi Sun Hyeok, a 56-year-old male who was arrested at his residence in Bgy. Lahug, Cebu City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) operatives. The BI-FSU operatives were armed with a warrant of deportation, which Tansingco issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against Choi in 2017. Tansingco said that Choi would be immediately deported to Seoul, South Korea after the bureau had secured the necessary clearances for his departure. According to the South Korean government, Choi was tagged as a high-profile fugitive, as he is believed to be a member of the so-called MS Alliance syndicate that facilitates the illicit transport of narcotics to Korea. A red notice for his capture was also issued by Interpol this year after an investigation confirmed that he was in the country. According to Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Manila, Choi is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Changwon District Court in Korea, where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act. Investigators have also established that this year alone, Choi’s accomplices in the syndicate managed to smuggle into Korea more than 265 grams of methamphetamine by concealing the drug in their underwear. It was gathered that the passport of Choi, who will be committed to the BI detention facility in Taguig City, was already revoked by the Korean government, thus making him an undocumented alien. Choi's name was also placed on the BI blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines. The post BI reminds departing aliens to settle fees; arrests high-profile Korean fugitive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Immigration officer convicted
The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday revealed that a Bureau of Immigration officer has been convicted for the falsification of travel records showing that former Wirecard chief operating officer Jan Marsalek was in the Philippines even if he did not arrive and leave the country in 2020. The NBI said BI officer Marcos S. Nicodemus has been found guilty by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court of violations of Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Though the RTC decision was not provided by the NBI, it said that Nicodemus “was sentenced by the court to a maximum imprisonment of nine years for each of the criminal cases with perpetual disqualification to hold public office.” Marsalek, an Austrian national, has been wanted by the German government for his involvement in the $2.2 billion Wirecard fraud. In 2020, the Philippine government joined the hunt for Marsalek due to Wirecard’s links in the country and discovered travel records that showed that the Austrian came to the Philippines in 2020. Then Department of Justice Secretary and now Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra ordered the NBI to conduct an investigation. In August 2020, the NBI “recommended to the DoJ the prosecution of subject Marcos Nicodemus for falsifying the travel records of an Austrian national.” “Investigation conducted by NBI-IAID (NBI-International Airport Investigation Division) revealed that based on Marsalek’s travel records, he arrived in the Philippines through NAIA Terminal 1 on 23 June 2020, processed by Immigration Officer Darren Ilagan but with a mysterious ‘canceled by user’ remark and departure on 24 June 2020 at Mactan-Cebu International Airport processed by Immigration Officer Perry Michael Pancho,” the NBI said. “However, NBI-IAID discovered thru CCTV (closed circuit television) footages that Marsalek never entered the Philippines and he did not even depart through MCIA,” the NBI said. The records of Marsalek were found to be spurious due to the following: Existing immigrations protocol as of that date disallowing passengers from entering Philippine territory due to Covid situation; absence of actual scanned data page of the passport; existing protocol that incoming flights of airlines disallowing the boarding of a passenger who will be prevented entry based on the destination country’s protocol as of flight date. The NBI said that Ilagan testified that Nicodemus, who was his supervisor, “ordered him to conduct a derogatory check upon Marsalek despite the fact that he was already not on duty on that date and that Marsalek is not present during checking.” Guevarra in 2020, said that the travel records of the Marsalek were falsified possibly as “diversionary tactics to mislead his pursuers.” The post Immigration officer convicted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CAAP intensifies airport security amid bomb threats
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Thursday said that it has heightened the security of all its 42 commercial airports after the Air Traffic Service received a warning via email that planes leaving Manila for Puerto Princesa, Mactan-Cebu, Bicol, and Davao International Airports are about to be detonated by a bomb. Following the information, all airports were immediately ordered to intensify security measures while verification process is under way. CAAP Security and Intelligence Service assistant director general II retired MGen. Ricardo Banayat and all CAAP airports and area centers should augment appropriate security personnel to meet the anticipated high volume of passenger and vehicle traffic. Stringent access control procedures for both personnel and vehicles will be implemented, accompanied by thorough inspections of passengers and cargo. CAAP-CSIS personnel are also collaborating closely with the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group and military authorities, intensifying intelligence and monitoring operations with other security units. Continuous foot and mobile patrols are also being conducted within both the airside and landside areas of the airport complex. Meantime, Airport Security Coordination meetings will also be convened with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the strict implementation of security measures aimed at preventing any unlawful interference with civil aviation. In order to avoid any difficulty, they also advise international travelers to get to the airport at least three hours prior to their departure as CAAP also urged the general public to comply fully with security agents and to exercise caution when visiting the airport. “Our primary priority continues to be safety and security, and these steps are being taken to protect everyone who uses our airports,” CAAP said. Meantime, the Manila International Airport Authority assured the traveling public that it had instituted measures to ensure the safety of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport passengers, flights and facilities. Foot and mobile patrols are in place, and K9 units are doing the rounds of the terminals as added measures to their already established day-to-day protocols. The MIAA is also in close coordination with the PNP-AVSEU and pertinent government law enforcement units tasked with validating any threat to national security. The post CAAP intensifies airport security amid bomb threats appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mactan airport, all commercial air strips on heightened alert following bomb threat
MANILA, Philippines — The Mactan Airport and all commercial airports across the country are placed on heightened alert after the Air Traffic Service (ATS) received a bomb threat via electronic mail (email) on Friday. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the email claimed that aircraft from Manila, going to Puerto Princesa, Mactan-Cebu,.....»»
PAF plane catches fire, disrupts flights
A Philippine Air Force plane bound for the Visayas was forced to do an emergency landing at the Mactan Cebu International Airport after its engine caught fire early yesterday, blocking the runway for hours and disrupting both domestic and international flights......»»
Domestic aviation rebounds this year
The local aviation industry, which was badly hit by the global health crisis, is seen to achieve full recovery this year. This was according to the International Air Transport Association in a recent forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. During the Aviation Forum last week, Yuli Thompson, area manager for the IATA in Southeast Asia, said the Philippines and the rest of the Asia Pacific region’s aviation market is swiftly recovering and seeing a consistent rise in terms of growth in international and domestic travel. Thompson said passenger traffic trends for international flights in the Philippines were logged at 75 percent of 2019 levels as of June 2023. As for the Asia Pacific passenger forecast, Yuli maintained that domestic travel will fully recover in 2023, while international travel will occur sometime in 2026. Further, Asia Pacific will be seen to lead in traffic growth in the next 20 years. “However, overcoming current challenges riding on the current momentum, and meeting full recovery will require strong interventions from all players in the aviation sector,” he said. Infra investments For his part, Cebu Pacific Air chief executive officer Michael Szucs emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, citing that “Philippine carriers will need to quadruple in size to cater to growing demand.” In her keynote speech, Secretary Grace Poe urged stakeholders to support necessary infrastructure investments, especially following the air system glitch incident earlier this year. The senator called for the acquisition of a new Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management. Poe also recommended the hiring of a third-party maintenance provider for the CNS/ATM system. “It is my hope that the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders can work together and collaborate on air transport projects which will not only generate economic growth but also provide our people with excellent and affordable public services that can improve the quality of life for all,” she said. Also filed by Poe is Senate Bill 1121 which proposes the creation of a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. Under the directive of the current Marcos administration, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim highlighted the government’s key priorities, including aviation safety and strengthening of learning institutions. Lim further noted the agency’s priority of strengthening the Civil Aviation Training Center and engaging with the private sector as close partners for Air Transport Skills Training and Development. “If we are able to train our air traffic controllers, we would not only meet our own requirements, but the requirements of other countries. We can develop this on an institutional basis,” said Lim. Open up the industry Kurt Edwards, director general of the International Business Aviation Council, also raised the fact that much could be gained “by opening the industry and making it more known to people.” In terms of managing safety risks, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, shared initiatives to advance safety capabilities in the aviation sector through the State Safety Program. The program employs a risk-based approach to regulations, capacity building and integration of a new organizational structure for monitoring and evaluation. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista stressed that the DOTr’s goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through a public-private partnership agreement, which he said, will present a “landmark opportunity for economic growth, improved infrastructure, and a world-class travel experience.” Added Bautista, “We are also developing regional airports, such as the unsolicited proposals for the operations and maintenance of the Bicol International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport.” The post Domestic aviation rebounds this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Travelers benefit from MIAA’s STAR program
The Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization program of the Manila International Airport Authority is having a favorable effect on travelers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The program maximizes the use of the four NAIA terminals starting December 2022 with terminal reassignments for a few airlines. NAIA Terminal 2 has been set aside entirely for domestic flights, in contrast to NAIA Terminal 4, which only accommodates turboprop aircraft. Only NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 are now used to process international flights. MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co said that in places like NAIA Terminal 1, where all of Philippine Airlines’ international flights are now listed as serving foreign destinations, passengers have confirmed the convenience and comfort they have felt as a result of the changes. The relocation of Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine employees needed for international flights from NAIA Terminal 2 to NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 resulted in a reduction in wait times. MIAA is now able to increase NAIA Terminal 2’s capacity from 7.5 million to 10 million passengers annually while exclusively serving PAL, AirAsia and Royal Air’s domestic flights as a result of the removal of CIQ infrastructure, including counters and x-ray machines. A senior citizen who was waiting to board her PAL flight PR 2671 to Calbayog shared, “Mas naging accessible, easier to find, and less traffic because of the Skyway (and NAIA Motorway) coming here. Napaka-spacious ng Terminal 2. Mas naging advantageous sa mga senior ones na kamukha ko.” Passengers can now choose from a broader variety of restaurants and retail establishments at NAIA Terminal 3, the largest of the four terminals and home to international airlines, as well as Cebu Pacific’s domestic operations. They also have more time to shop duty-free. With NAIA Terminal 4 now serving purely turboprop flights for Cebgo, AirSWIFT Airlines Philippines, and Sunlight Air, domestic passengers also experienced more streamlined departure and arrival procedures. A passenger who booked Cebgo flight DG 6619 to Naga shared, “The last time I traveled to Davao using the old airport, there were a lot of people. Now, it took me around two to three minutes, and I’m here. It’s so fast. It’s probably been around six years since the last time I used the domestic airport. It’s improved by about 50 percent, and there are a lot of stores. I haven’t experienced any trouble coming in. I’d probably rate it at 10.” The post Travelers benefit from MIAA’s STAR program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NAIA rises in rankings of world’s most internationally connected airports
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has established itself as one of the most internationally connected airports in the world. Known by its International Air Transport Association (IATA) code, MNL, it ranked 15th in the top 50 global airport mega hubs and secured the third spot in the top 25 low-cost carrier airport mega hubs. According to the 2023 Megahubs Index by OAG, a leading provider of digital flight information, intelligence, and analytics for airports, MNL has climbed from 29th place in 2019 to 15th place this year in terms of international connectivity. The flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, emerged as the dominant air carrier with a 32% share of flights. In this list, led by the United Kingdom's London Heathrow Airport, MNL also ranks 6th among the top international mega hubs in the Asia Pacific region, following KUL (Malaysia), HND (Japan), ICN (Republic of Korea), BKK (Thailand), and SIN (Singapore). OAG noted, “The presence of seven Asian airport hubs in the Global Top 20 is significant considering the region is still on the path towards a full recovery.” Currently, MNL hosts 40 international carriers serving 58 international destinations. The latest addition to NAIA’s roster in 2023 is ZIPAIR, which launched its first flight between Manila and Narita last July. Additionally, Philippine Airlines has introduced nonstop flights to Perth, and Air China now directly connects Tianfu Chengdu to NAIA. Among the top 25 mega hubs for low-cost international connections this year, MNL stands out in third place, trailing only KUL (Malaysia) and ICN (Republic of Korea). MNL is the home of Cebu Pacific Air, the Philippines’ leading low-cost carrier (LCC), which will be launching flights to Da Nang, a new destination from Manila, beginning December 7th. Thirteen Asia Pacific airports, including MNL, dominate the rankings, reflecting the high level of LCC penetration in South Asia and Southeast Asia. “We are pleased that MNL is able to ride the momentum brought about by the strong and consistent travel rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the LCC penetration in our region. We are likewise grateful for the confidence the international carriers have extended to us. Testament to this is the growing number of applications from various international carriers who wish to operate flights in NAIA,” Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co said. “NAIA being the country’s main gateway makes it incumbent upon us, as the airport authority, to expand the destinations Filipinos, as well as our guests, can fly to and from MNL,” added Co. HK Express is set to launch its inaugural flight between Manila and Hong Kong on 13 October, while United Airlines is scheduled to launch nonstop flights connecting Manila with San Francisco starting 30 October. The post NAIA rises in rankings of world’s most internationally connected airports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»